Conference marks quarter century since being founded at Howard Morgan’s dining table
The RealService conference celebrated the 25 years since the business was founded.
It began around the dining table at the home of Howard and Sue Morgan and continues to flourish with Louise Freethy taking over as CEO in 2023 and Howard becoming executive chair.
The RealService staff and consultants who attended the conference were treated to some great memories from clients and colleagues and some excellent insight around the customer experience agenda from Siobhan Jared, the guest speaker.
Louise said: “It’s with great pleasure that I welcome you as CEO and put forward my vision for the business going forward. I would also like to pay tribute to Howard for his stewardship of the company over the last 25 years.”
Keynote speaker Siobhan, formerly with TfL and now Argent LLP, spoke passionately about how customer experience has become a key factor in the property industry.
Improving the customer experience of TfL’s property customers – for example, business owners in The Arches – helped many survive the pandemic and become loyal advocates for TfL.
At Argent, her role means dealing with major corporate occupiers – Argent is the company responsible for the Kings Cross development – and she spoke about the business’s “search for perfection”.
Tim Stephen, of Amber, and Paul Harding, core members of the RealService Best Practice Group, provided a humorous wander down memory lane, complete with photos of haircuts they would rather not have seen again.
Linda Muster (a ‘dining-table original’) spoke fondly of her time with the business and we also welcomed ‘old faces’ including Heather Purchase and Associate Professor Dr Danielle Sanderson.
One of RealService’s longest-serving friends has decided to call time on her involvement so she can concentrate on her passion for cooking.
Project manager Janet Lipton started with the business in March 1999 and has decided the time is now right to focus on culinary matters from cakes to curries – and who can blame her!
She said: “I started at what was formerly known as Kingsley Lipsey Morgan. My friend Linda said the job would entail asking a few questions to ‘tenants’. I thought a few yes/no questions would be easy. Little did I know that the job would be slightly more complex than that and last 25 years!!”
Those at the conference voted for Small Acts of Kindness, of which Howard Morgan is a trustee, to be the RealService charity for 2024.
